Another meter bargain

Hopefully they work better than the free ones at HF.
My trusty analog VOM I bought at radio shack in 1978 finally went TU.
Could use something to keep in the portable tool bag

--
76 Glenbrook

P

Chris,
I would recommend the HarborFreight Digital Multimeter# 37772. Reasonable
and durable unit for the price.

https://www.harborfreight.com/ac-dc-digital-multimeter-37772.html

The free VOM is good to do basic voltage and continuity checks and you get
what you pay for.

J.R. Wright
GMC Great Laker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMHI
TZE Zone Restorations
78 Buskirk Custom 30' Stretch
75 Avion (Under going Frame up Restoration)

On Thu, Apr 19, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Chris Tyler
wrote:

> Hopefully they work better than the free ones at HF.
> My trusty analog VOM I bought at radio shack in 1978 finally went TU.
> Could use something to keep in the portable tool bag
>
> --
> 76 Glenbrook
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

E

emerystora

New member

Apr 19, 2018

#6

I had purchased that one and had left it on my car seat for a few minutes. The black plastic panel melted and distorted and the numbers would not display completely.
I returned it and they gave me another. I was using it on my front steps and it was not a very hot day but the sunlight again caused the same problem. So I caution you not to use it outdoors in the sun.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO

>
> Chris,
> I would recommend the HarborFreight Digital Multimeter# 37772. Reasonable
> and durable unit for the price.
>
> https://www.harborfreight.com/ac-dc-digital-multimeter-37772.html
>
> The free VOM is good to do basic voltage and continuity checks and you get
> what you pay for.
>
> J.R. Wright
> GMC Great Laker
> GMC Eastern States
> GMCMHI
> TZE Zone Restorations
> 78 Buskirk Custom 30' Stretch
> 75 Avion (Under going Frame up Restoration)
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 19, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Chris Tyler

>
>> Hopefully they work better than the free ones at HF.
>> My trusty analog VOM I bought at radio shack in 1978 finally went TU.
>> Could use something to keep in the portable tool bag
>>
>> --
>> 76 Glenbrook
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

K

Ken B

Well-known member

Apr 20, 2018

#7

> Chris,
> I would recommend the HarborFreight Digital Multimeter# 37772. Reasonable
> and durable unit for the price.
>
> https://www.harborfreight.com/ac-dc-digital-multimeter-37772.html
>
> The free VOM is good to do basic voltage and continuity checks and you get
> what you pay for.
>
> J.R. Wright
> GMC Great Laker
> GMC Eastern States
> GMCMHI
> TZE Zone Restorations
> 78 Buskirk Custom 30' Stretch
> 75 Avion (Under going Frame up Restoration)
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 19, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Chris Tyler

>
> Hopefully they work better than the free ones at HF.
> My trusty analog VOM I bought at radio shack in 1978 finally went TU.
> Could use something to keep in the portable tool bag

I have one of those in my stable of meters. I have had it for years. I use it once and
a while when it jumps up and says "USE me, USE ME". Definitely better than the throw-aways
from Harbor Freight which I also have a few of. It is not as good as the Peak Meter we were
looking at and buying a few months back. It is still good for the price.

JMHO
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

DetroitDan

New member

Apr 20, 2018

#8

It look =s like a good deal! And, the most amazing part is: (quoted from the ad)

"A wide range of fuctions cover just about every use case."

Versatile indeed.
--
Dan Wallace
Detroit Metro
1974 Canyon Lands 260
Headers, 3.55, 16"
Floor plan 26-9

K

Ken B

Well-known member

Apr 20, 2018

#9

Get one of these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/PEAKMETER-PM18C-Digital-Multimeter-DC-AC-Multimeter-Voltage-Current-Tester-Ma/122907541319?epid=2121965098&hash=item1c9ddc3f47:g:6BsAAOSwnYBaVlqg

or one of the 96 other listings for it on ebay.

This is the same one on Amazon with an ENGLISH manual. Some of the ebay ones out of China come with a Chinese manual. I have the.pdf
english manual if you are mot multilingual and need one.

https://www.amazon.com/PEAKMETER-PM18C-Digital-Multimeter-Backlight/dp/B01IEXM2FK
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

K

Ken H.

Active member

Apr 20, 2018

#10

I forgot to update my report that my PM18C read 1/10 of the voltage it
should. Eventually, during multiple tests I did for the vendor, I found
other strange errors. BUT, the vendor was very prompt about replying and
after several reasonable tests, sent me a new meter which DOES work
correctly. They didn't want the bad one back.

I can now join the chorus of supporters ('tho I don't know when I'll ever
get around to using it).

Ken H.

> Get one of these:
>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/PEAKMETER-PM18C-Digital-
> Multimeter-DC-AC-Multimeter-Voltage-Current-Tester-Ma/
> 122907541319?epid=2121965098&hash=item1c9ddc3f47:g:6BsAAOSwnYBaVlqg
>
> or one of the 96 other listings for it on ebay.
>
> This is the same one on Amazon with an ENGLISH manual. Some of the ebay
> ones out of China come with a Chinese manual. I have the.pdf
> english manual if you are mot multilingual and need one.
>
> https://www.amazon.com/PEAKMETER-PM18C-Digital-Multimeter-Backlight/dp/
> B01IEXM2FK
> --
>

J

johnny

New member

Apr 20, 2018

#11

I suspect there's a Chinese chip fab which was underused so they cooked up a multimeter chip and sold it to various manufacturers who each has
rolled his own version of a multimeter. The difference will be the quality of the board, how they do the rotary switch, quality of the case, etc.
And quality of the display which as Emery notes usually dies in the sunshine on the cheap ones. You pays your money and you takes your pick. And you
hides the Fluke in the shop for when you need a deadnuts accurate reading of something, or you're in a high noise environment - most of the cheap ones
respond to high RF fields.

--johnny

--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased

Last edited by a moderator: May 31, 2023

K

Ken B

Well-known member

Apr 20, 2018

#12

> I forgot to update my report that my PM18C read 1/10 of the voltage it
> should. Eventually, during multiple tests I did for the vendor, I found
> other strange errors. BUT, the vendor was very prompt about replying and
> after several reasonable tests, sent me a new meter which DOES work
> correctly. They didn't want the bad one back.
>
> I can now join the chorus of supporters ('tho I don't know when I'll ever
> get around to using it).
>
> Ken H.
>
>

>
> > Get one of these:
> >
> > https://www.ebay.com/itm/PEAKMETER-PM18C-Digital-
> > Multimeter-DC-AC-Multimeter-Voltage-Current-Tester-Ma/
> > 122907541319?epid=2121965098&hash=item1c9ddc3f47:g:6BsAAOSwnYBaVlqg
> >
> > or one of the 96 other listings for it on ebay.
> >
> > This is the same one on Amazon with an ENGLISH manual. Some of the ebay
> > ones out of China come with a Chinese manual. I have the.pdf
> > english manual if you are mot multilingual and need one.
> >
> > https://www.amazon.com/PEAKMETER-PM18C-Digital-Multimeter-Backlight/dp/
> > B01IEXM2FK
> > --
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

I saw your review on Amazon. Once and a while you get a bad one. I'm sure
that not much checking is done in China on a $20.00 retail item before
it is shipped out the door. At least the retailer sent you a new one.

--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

K

Ken B

Well-known member

Apr 20, 2018

#13

> I suspect there's a Chinese chip fab which was underused so they cooked up a multimeter chip and sold it to various manufacturers who each
> has rolled his own version of a multimeter. The difference will be the quality of the board, how they do the rotary switch, quality of the case,
> etc.
> And quality of the display which as Emery notes usually dies in the sunshine on the cheap ones. You pays your money and you takes your pick. And
> you hides the Fluke in the shop for when you need a deadnuts accurate reading of something, or you're in a high noise environment - most of the
> cheap ones respond to high RF fields.
>
> --johnny

Talk about accuracy. I grabbed one of the Harbor Freight throw-aways a few months back
and was checking GMC voltages at the isolator. All of the voltage were coming out in the
16 volt range. I thought I was fighting a bad regulator in the alternator. I finally
checked a stand alone 12 volt battery that was sitting around and it read almost 15 volts.

Into the trash the meter went. I wonder what the warranty was on that meter? It would
have cost me more in gas to go to HF than the meter was worth.

--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

Last edited by a moderator: May 31, 2023

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